2016 was the last of the drought years in northern California. The dry winter caused an early bud break and a nice spring rain of two inches during early May pre-bloom encouraging a great set. Balanced canopy growth throughout the season resulted in wines with soft tannins. Our harvest was fast and furious; beginning late September and ending ten days later on October 4th.
What a vibrant and expressive vintage! Radiant with perfectly ripe aromas of blackberries, cassis, strawberry, roasted nuts and perfumed plums. Hints of marzipan, espresso, black Indian spices, dried wildflowers, ripe passion fruit and the hallmark notes of stony minerality add incredible complexity.
A powerhouse of flavors both sweet and savory. Black and purple fruit flavors wind through wild sage and chaparral. The synchrony of balance and power make for an intriguing and complex wine with a long-lasting finish. Enjoy now and cellar over the next 25 years.
“The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is racy, powerful and explosive, as the wines always are. Dark red cherry jam, iron, cedar, tobacco, smoke and rose petal all race out of the glass as this inky, plush Cabernet Sauvignon shows off its curves. Even though it is made in a rich, super-concentrated style, the Kamen Cabernet Sauvignon typically needs the better part of a decade to be at its very best. What a wine.” 94+ points.
—Antonio Galloni, Vinous, May 2019